Local State Of Emergency Declared
August 23, 2008
Escambia County has declared a local state of emergency in advance of Tropical Storm Fay.
The Escambia County Commission made the declaration in an emergency meeting this morning at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center. The declaration allows the county to make preparations in advance of and during the storm, and issue local declarations as needed. The declaration also served to partially activate the county’s Emergency Operations Center. That may be upgraded to a full activation of the EOC later today.
The county has not opened any shelters or ordered any evacuations at this time. The primary threat from Fay, the county says, will be coastal, lowland and river flooding.
NorthEscambia.com will continue to keep you updated on Fay throughout the weekend.
If your business, church, organization or other group has a closure or schedule change due to the storm, email news@northescambia.com so we can pass that information along.
Fire Departments Respond To Two Area Schools Friday Morning
August 23, 2008
Fire departments were dispatched to fire alarms at two North Escambia schools Friday. Both calls were false alarms.
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched just before 11:30 to Bratt Elementary School in the 5700 block of North Highway 99. They were canceled before they arrived at the school. A smoke detector in the cafeteria had been accidently set off.
The Century Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at Byrneville Elementary School in the 1600 block of Byrneville Road earlier in the morning. When firefighters arrived, they discovered that the school was conducting an ordinary fire drill.
Funeral Held For Former Flomaton Player
August 23, 2008
Funeral services were held Saturday for a former Flomaton football player that passed away following football practice last week at a Montgomery college.
Huntington freshman Sam Henry Collins, Jr., 18, died August 15 after being taken to a Montgomery hospital following his collapse at the college’s second football practice of the year.
Collins graduated from Flomaton High School this past spring. He was a defensive lineman for the Hurricanes, and he was an Alabama Class 2A All-State player that was 6 foot 1, 240 pounds.
Funeral services for Collins were held Saturday morning with Rev. John Evangelistia and Rev. Glenn McCall officiating. Interment followed in Pollard Cemetery.
Collins is survived by his parents, Sam Henry Collins, Sr., and Marion Yvonne Monroe Collins of Pollard; one brother, Sam Henry Hooker of Huntsville, Ala.; three sisters, Martha Collins of Pollard, Jeanna Collins Pierre of Atlanta, Ga., and Samantha Boykins of Mobile; and an adopted grandmother, Lynn Hudson. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Flomaton.
Pallbearers were members of the Flomaton High School football team.
Submitted photos by Michael Newton.
Saturday Last Day For Early Voting
August 23, 2008
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David H. Stafford confirmed that the county’s four early voting locations will be open Saturday, as previously scheduled, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Although no changes to the regular Election Day schedule for Tuesday are anticipated, given the uncertainty of the weather situation early next week, voters are encouraged to take advantage of early voting on Saturday.
The sites for early voting are:
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- Tyron Branch Library, 5740 North 9th Avenue
On Election Day, Tuesday, August 26th, the polls will be open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm. For further information on absentee ballots, sample ballots, precincts and polling locations, please contact the elections office at (850) 595-3900, or visit their website at www.EscambiaVotes.com.
District 5 Commission Republican Candidates Talk Consolidated Government
August 22, 2008
The four Republican candidates for Escambia County Commission District 5 faced the cameras Thursday night for a political forum on WSRE public television. One hot topic was the consolidation of county government with the City of Pensacola.
“I think in order to save money, it is a very viable option that needs to be looked at in the future,” candidate Randall McCrackin said. He added that if Escambia County and Pensacola could put aside some differences, he thinks the consolidated government would be viable.
“Working with the City of Pensacola would be great in certain areas,” Packy Mitchell said. “I think it would be a great thing to do, if it serves as a cost savings to the public.”
“There are concerns in District 5 about a centralized government being able to provide adequate services to the north end,” Chris Washler said, “because the north end issues are drastically different than what you find down in Pensacola.” He added that both governments need to be more efficient before consolidation talks proceed, and only then should it be seriously considered.
“There’s been an open dialog between us (the county commission) and the city; we’ve built a good relationship,” incumbent Kevin White said. “We are going in the right direction. Consolidating the two governments, I think, is a way off. There’s a lot of issues to work through to make that happen.” He said discussion is currently underway between the county and Pensacola to consolidate building inspections and parks and recreation.
One issue where the four Republican candidates agreed was the need for a county economic development agency. Currently, the county contributes $400,000 plus per year to the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce to conduct economic development in Escambia County. All four men agreed that using the Pensacola Chamber for Escambia County economic development was not the best option for the county.
Questions for the Rally 2008 forum on WSRE were prepared by League of Women Voters of the Pensacola Bay Area and were submitted from the community. You can watch the Rally 2008 online at wsre.org. Thursday night’s show is expected to be posted in the next few days. The Republican Primary Election is next Tuesday.
Editor’s note: It is worth noting that in another article here on NorthEscambia.com, you will read comments about Century’s economy from the Democratic candidates for District 5 commission, while there are no such comments from the Republicans. The Republicans were not asked for their comments on Century in the questions prepared by the League Of Women Voters.
Pictured below: (L-R top) Randall McCrackin, Packy Mitchell, (L-R bottom) Chris Washler and Kevin White on WSRE Thursday night. Click to enlarge. Courtesy WSRE.
Democratic Commission Candidates Discuss Century’s Economy
August 22, 2008
Century’s economy was a topic of discussion last night on WSRE public television as the two Democratic candidates for Escambia County Commission took part in a political forum.
“To start with, we need more effective police patrols in Century,” candidate Jim Barnett said. “We need to do everything we can to bring jobs to Century.”
Barnett also sees a solution to Century’s economic woes by using public transportation to get Century residents to jobs at places like International Paper, Solutia and the county’s new sewage treatment plant when it opens.
“Possibly we could give priority jobs to people in Century and have them ride the ECAT bus to the new sewage plant being built in Cantonment,”Barnett said. “But people in Century need help right now.”
John Hartman said Century has taken its own steps toward economic development with things like establishing enterprise zones.
“Where we need to help Century is with our expertise on economic development,” Hartman said.
He added that the completion of the four lane widening of Highway 113 in Alabama will complete the four lane corridor from the interstate to the beach, an improvement that Century can capitalize on.
“That’s a good opportunity for Century to develop something along the roads,” he said.
The two candidates also addressed having one consolidated government for the Century, Pensacola and the county.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in District 5, and they are not for consolidating government with the city,” Jim Barnett said. “They already feel like they have been left out in the cold too long.
“Political consolidation, it kind of leaves people feeling like they may be lacking in the representation that they receive,” John Hartman said.
But both men agreed that consolidating some services, like vehicle maintenance and human resources, might be a good thing.
Questions for the Rally 2008 forum on WSRE were prepared by League of Women Voters of the Pensacola Bay Area and were submitted from the community. You can watch the Rally 2008 online at wsre.org. Thursday night’s show is expected to be posted in the next few days. The Democratic Primary Election is next Tuesday.
Pictured below: (L-R) Jim Barnett and John Hartmanon WSRE Thursday night. Click to enlarge. Courtesy WSRE.
Learn To Read Volunteer Workshop Saturday
August 22, 2008
Learn to Read of Northwest Florida, a nonprofit adult literacy program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, will have a workshop to train volunteers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Century Family Practice Building, 7600 Mayo Street in Century.
The workshop will train volunteers to teach adults to read and write.
For reservations or more information, call Edna Earle Barnes at 256-0880 or visit www.learntoreadnwf.org.
Hurricanes Blow Past J.U. Blacksher In Thursday Preseason Games
August 22, 2008
The area’s football season got underway Thursday night as the Flomaton Hurricanes dealt a double blow to the Bulldogs of J.U. Blacksher.
The varsity Hurricanes beat the Bulldogs 22-6 in a preseason scrimmage that was two 12 minute quarters. The JV ‘Canes played one 10 minute quarter in Uriah, blowing away the JV Bulldogs 8-0.
Pictured above: Tony Ellis with the ball for the Flomaton Hurricanes. Pictured below, top: Neiko Robinson has the play. Pictured below, middle: Quarterback Jacob Newton goes for the pass. Pictured bottom: Quarterback Denver Hawsey getting the play from Coach Doug Vickery. Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com.
Like sports? NorthEscambia.com is looking for someone to take pictures and provide scores for Northview High School football. Email news@northescambia.com for more information.
County To Hold Emergency Meeting On Tropical Storm Fay
August 22, 2008
The Escambia County Commission will hold an emergency special meeting this morning to determine if a local state of emergency should be declared in advance of Tropical Storm Fay.
The commission will meet in the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center at 10 a.m. for a conference call with the National Weather Service and the county’s emergency leaders. A local state of emergency would allow the county to institute protective actions if needed.
Escambia Emergency Management officials are continuing to monitor Tropical Storm Fay. There are no evacuations or protective actions in place at this time. There will be school at all Escambia County public schools on Friday.
“The forecast path is forecasted to come through Escambia County beginning sometime Saturday and into Sunday,” John Dosh, chief of the county’s emergency management agency, said. “It will be a depression. It will not be a tropical storm at present forecast track.”
“Our concern is not so much the wind, but the rain,” Dosh said. “We could receive in excess of seven to 10 inches of rainfall over the weekend. That is our main concern at this point.
If some computer models are correct, the storm might stall in our area until Monday or Tuesday.
“That could potentially be even more rain,” Dosh said.
Division Of Forestry Presents Annual Report
August 22, 2008
Wildfires consumed 116 acres of land in Escambia County during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, according to the annual report of the Florida Division of Forestry to the Escambia County Commission.
The report was presented to the commission Thursday evening by Elton Gilmore, forest area supervisor, and Adam Parden, county forester.
The Division of Forestry responded to 38 different fires during the fiscal year, a decrease from the previous year due to a wetter spring. Five of the fires during the last fiscal year were started by lightning, consuming 15.6 acres. Eleven fires were caused by non-permitted burn piles and burning yard trash, consuming about 22 acres.
During the year, the Division of Forestry issued 1,470 burn permits covering 5,966 acres and 967 piles.
To help minimize the wildfire risk in the county, the Division of Forestry maintains an agressive fire prevention campaign, with both an ongoing educational program and an active landowner assistance policy. Forestry also works with the local volunteer fire departments with both training and funding, according to the report.
The county will pay the Division of Forestry seven cents pe acre for Forestry’s services in Escambia County. With 326,422 acres in Escambia County, that bill in September will amount to $22,849.54. The state’s fee increased this year from three cents per acre to the seven cents, the first increase since 1945. Over one half of the land in Escambia County is forest land.
Escambia County’s half million acres of forest land contributes an estimated $351 million to the local economy and provides 1,306 jobs, according to the reported presented Thursday night. Forestry’s indirect impact on Escambia’s economy is an additional $313 million and 5,917 jobs.
The Florida Division of Forestry in Escambia County is headquartered at 4100 North Highway 29 in Molino (under the fire tower).
Pictured above: Adam Parden (left), county forester, and Elton Gilmore, forest area supervisor, at the Thursday evening meeting of the Escambia County Commission.